Ben Collins Revealed As 'Top Gear' Stig, Gets The Sack

The BBC's Top Gear is perhaps the most well-recognized and widely-watched motoring program on earth, and the series' dependence on a hired gun that plies the world's best supercars at the show's test track is equally well-known. That driver's identity has been a closely guarded secret of the show, however--until this week.

Previously we reported that the secretive 'tame racing driver' that dresses in a white racing suit and helmet for the program was racing driver and Bristol, United Kingdom resident Ben Collins. However, the claims were quickly denied by the show.

Now, in the latest twist, it has been revealed that Collins has been fired by the BBC after being revealed as the Stig in his autobiography. A company run by Collins also had payments for “driving services” from the BBC in its records.

Collins has since been replaced by a ‘new’ Stig, who was seen doing film work at the Nurburgring on the same day Collins was spotted in the U.K. with his children. A previous Stig, now known as the Black Stig, preceded Collins but was killed off from the show upon the revelation of his identity as former British Formula One driver Perry McCarthy.